Lawh-spbilikleu



F. E. ROACH.

LAWN SPRINKLER.

' APPL|cAT|oN FILED ocT'. 1a. 1916.

1919. 2 SHEETS-snm l.

" Patented July 1,

' )fnac/1J THB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAP F. E. ROACH.

LAWN SPRINKLER.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. I6. Iers.

1,308,371 lPatented July 1, 1919.

UNITED srerns rnfrnnr ormon.

FINIs EWING Iconen, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAWN-SPRINKLER.

i Specification of Letters Patenti Patented Juiyli, i919.

Application filed catcher 16,1916. serial No. 125,858.

T0 all 'whom t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, FINIs EwINe RoACI-I,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Sprinklers;`

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingby an even distribution of thevolume of water over a prescribed area of the lawn or other surface desired to be irrigated' by the sprinkler will take place. Another object of the invention is to provide means for regulating the time of iow of the water through the sprinkler.

The sprinkler is so constructed that when placed in operative position on a lawn, so that the water will sprinkle at one edge of the part to be irrigated, the sprinkler will gradually rotate over the desired area and will then be shut oil when the water has reached the other limit of the said area. It may be made to rotate in one complete circle and then stop, or it may be madeto rotate over a space equal to a segment of the circle. This automatic control is an important feature of the invention.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a tubular casing in which is located a piston head, said piston head dividing the casing into two chambers.` Said piston head has a stem in one of said chambers and `upon this stem is a rack bar, which is` operatively connected to that end of an u right sprinkler nozzle located in said cham er. As the piston moves Jforwardly under the action of the pressure in said pressure chamber, a rotative movement is thus imparted to lsaid nozzle. Means are provided for attaching a hose to said casing to deliver water under pressureV into said chamber, the water pressure acting to impart movement t0 said piston and rack bar, while the surplus of water issuing from the sprinkler nozzle as it is rotating acts as a spray curtain of lawn. l y

` 'I he other chamber is adapted to contain a resistance fluid, preferably water and as the upon the prescribed area piston compresses the fluid therein, the fluid will escape very slowly from this vsecond chamber and thus allow the piston to ad- Vance. An adjustable valve mechanism controls the escape of fluid from this second chamber, sothat the period of time of rotation of the nozzle may be governed.

The sprinkler is so constructed that when the sprinkler;nozzlehas rotated through a predetermined angle of rotation, the escape ofthe water `into and through the nozzle will be automatically shut olf.

These objects, together with the several advantages of my improved lawn sprinkler, will appearasI cation.

\ In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view, illustrating my improved lawn sprinkler attached to the end of a hose and in operation upon a lawn.

Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal,vertical sectional view on an enlargedscale.

Figp is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken upon the line S-Bof Fig. 2,

looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows.

Fig. 4 is a central, longitudinal, horil zontal, sectional view, taken upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 9., looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. n

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sprinkler nozzle.

7 is a detail, sectional view on an enlarged scale, of the valve mechanism controlling the escape of resistance fluid as will appear later. `v

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of sprin` kler nozzle.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, ll0 indicates as a whole my improved lawn sprinkler. It comprises a horizontallyv disposed tubular casing 11 whichis attached to'a suitable base i l2 by means of a U shaped clamp 13. As

proceed with my specifi Vcasing l1. The clamp 13 is arranged about the top of said easing in the plane of said saddle, screws 15, 15 'attaching said clamp t0 said base in clamping engagement with said tubular casing.

Removably attached to and closing one end 'fof said casing (the left hand end as viewed in the drawings) is a cap 16. A gasket 17 is interposed between the upright wall of the cap and the associated end of said tubular casing. Threaded upon the opposite end of said casing is a nipple 18, by means of which the sprinkler may be attached to a water supply pipe or hose 19 (see Fig.

Within the tubular casing 13 is located a piston head 20 which divides the casing longitudinally into a pressure chamber 21 and a resistance chamber 22. The piston fhead 20 is of the double facing type, having oppositely disposed packing members 20a, 20" whichare'held in proper spaced relation and in l.position against collapse by means of disks 420. A bolt 20d passing through the several parts of'saidpiston head secures them in .proper relative positions.

Located within the pressure chamber 21 i isa horizontally disposed piston kstem or rack bar 23 which has an upturned end 24 attached to the piston head .20 by means of the bolt20d beforereferred to. The opposite end of said rack bar also has an upturned end :25 Ato which is iiXed on its inner face, a block of rubber or like material 25a., the purpose of -which'will presently appear. The said rack bar ispreferably .made from stamped metal and has a longitudinally e-X- tending slot vr26 along its approximate median "line, defined by side members or vbars 27 and 28 respectively. In that wall of the side member 27 .part-ly defining said slot,'is

formed track teeth 29. The other side member 28 is displaced upwardly so as'to'fbe located in a plane above that of Vthe @side member .27.

An "upright tubular sprinkler nozzle 30 (see Fig. 6), `projects intermediate its ends vthe form lof a gear'wheel through a bearing opening 11CL formed .in theftop of-.the tubular casing 11. Said nozzle is closed at its bottom end within the pressure 4chamber21by means'of afplug 31. In the bottom ofsaidplug is `formeel a bearing recess 32 adapted to receive the reduced end 33 of an upright bearing screw34 threaded :through the saddle 14 of the base `and through thebottom wall of the casing .11 vrespectively. Besides providing a 'rotative supporting bearing'for the nozzle 30, said screw 34:.assists in 'securing said tubular casing`11 to lthe base 12.

.f he bottomend ofthe plug` 31 is made in 36 which is adapt- Vedto mesh with Ithe teeth 29 'on .the bar 27,

while the lraised vside member 28 of said bar engages the top side of *said teeth and 1n guiding relation against the upright tubular body of the nozzle 30. Thus endwse movement of the nozzle is prevented.

In that part of said nozzle within the chamber 21 is provided an opening 37 which forms the water inlet from said chamber to the interior of the nozzle. The top end of said nozzle is closed by a rounded wall 38 in which are located water discharge openings 39 and 410 respectively. As shown, the opening 39 has straight sides while the opening 40 has tapered sides. As the water issues forth from these openings in streams, they will commingle and together form a curtain of water which will fall in a generous but continuous spray upon the ground immediately adjacent the sprinkler and in a straight line to the farthest limit or throw provided by the pressure supplied through the hose 19. To prevent leakage of water from the chamber 21 through the bearing opening 11a about the sprinkler nozzle 30, and a consequent reduction of pressurt` in this chamber, I provide a gasket L11 about said openin on the outside of the tubular casing 11. fThis gasket is seated in a recess 13a formed in the top of the yoke 13.

The chamber 22 is adapted to contain a fluid, such as water, which resists the movement of the piston under the action of the pressure in the chamber 21, but as the fluid in the chamber 22 is permitted to escape therefrom through a suitable valve mechanism, in the cap 16, it is apparent that the rate of. movement. of the piston and colisequently the length of time to complete one movement thereof may be controlled to suit the will of the operator. This is brought about vas follows: The cap 16 has an interiorlyscrew threaded tubular-extension 16a adapted to receive a threaded valve stem 50. This valve stem is provided at one end uvithout the casing 11 with a turning knob 51 `by means of which it may be manipulated. The opposite end of said valve stein within the chamber 22 is upset to form a val-ve head 52 which is adapted to close against a seat 53 formed by the adjacent `parts of: the gasket 17. The valve stem 50 is iiati'eued on one side. as at 54, adjacent the head end 52, said flattened part providing a passage way 55 (see Fig. 7) which provides couununcation between the interior of the chamber 22 and the atmosphere, when the valve head 52 is a short distance away from its seat 53.

The operation of my imprf'nfed lawn sprinkler is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the cap 16 is removed from the casing and a quantity `of water introduced into the chamber 22, after which the cap 16 is replaced. The lawn sprinkler isplaced upon the ground suitably connectedtothe hose 19. As is apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2 ofthe drawings, the inlet port 37 and discharge ports the water from the hose 19 enters `said cham ber 21, it will find its way into the interior of the nozzle 30 through the said port 37,.`

inasmuch as the combined area of the nozzle discharge ports 39 and l0 is much less than that of the inlet opening in the nipple `18, a substantial pressure will build up in the chamber 21 and be exerted u on the associated face of the piston 20. ghis pressure will cause the piston 20 and with it, of course, the stem or rack bar 23, to travel toward the left or cap end 16 `of the casing, this movement being resisted by the fluid in chamber 22. l

As the nozzle 3() is operatively connected to the rack bar 80, as before described, a rotative movement will be imparted to said nozzle. This movement of the piston may be resisted or increased by further closing or opening of the valve 50 in the cap to diminish or increase the escape of the resistance water from the chamber 22, as the piston is moving. Thus the speed of rotation of the nozzle can be regulated; i

As the piston approaches the cap 16,\the upright end 25 will approach the nozzle 30. At the same time, the inletport 37 of the nozzle will approach an angular `plane in its rotation, whereby the sealing block 25 on the upright end `25 of the rack bar 23 will register' therewith and close off said inlet y as before described.

o benino1 37 thus also shuttin, oifwater supl s g ply to the discharged openings 39 and 40. The` water isthen shut off from the hose 19 and the sprinkler bodily removed to another location, where the operation may` be repeated, the piston`20 having first been moved back to" the position illustrated on Fig. 2, and the chamber 22 again filled with water In Fig. 8 is illustrated a modified form of sprinkler nozzle, the same consisting of a cap 60 adapted for suitablev screwthreaded engagement with the top end of the sprin` kler nozzle 30. This cap has discharge or spraying ports1 39a, 40 so located therein as to register with the discharge ports 39 and Ll-(l of the nozzle 30. By rotating thecap716 upon the nozzle 30 so that said ports register, the maximum dischargeof water is had, but it will be manifest that by a further rotation of the said cap, this registration is vbroken and the outlet for the water re` stricted. In other words, the cap 60 may be used to regulate the volume of water discharged from the nozzle.

`When the cap 60 is made use of, the discharge ports 39 and 40 are preferably made with parallel walls and the port 39a of said cap also has parallel walls but the walls of the port 40a are tapered as is the port 40 in the preferred form of construction.

I have found by actual use of this device,

that in cases where city ordinances prevent the use of a lawn sprinkler only between certain hours, say for example, from five to seven oclock in the afternoon,-my improved sprinkler `can be set into operation at oclock and `by proper adjustment of the valve head 52, the `passage of resistance water through the channel 55 will require twohourscf time, thus giving the sprinkler two hours of time for one complete rotation ofthe nozzle. r

The sprinkler is very convenient for use in cities where it may be placed upon the edge of a lawn on the house side of the sidewalk and caused to rotate through only a part of a complete rotation over a given area, thereby leaving the sidewalk cle'ar and dry for pedestrians to pass while the sprinkle'r is `in operation.

By constructing the valve in the cap `16 as described, the said cap may beremoved from the casing 11 for the `purpose of filling the chamber 22 with resistance fluid, without danger of said valve being accidentally displaced from the said cap and lost. rlhe sprinkleris simplein construction and, as is apparent, is cheap to manufacture, yet capableof efficient operation for its intended purpose.

While in describingmy invention, l have referred to certain details of mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as pointed out in the appended claims.

lfclaim as my invention:

1. A lawn "sprinkler comprising a water pressure chamber, a spraying nozzle extending into said chamber and communicating1 withsaid chamber,a piston movable in said chamber, andlmeans connecting said piston and `nozzle `and adapted to rotate the latter.

2. "lawnfsprinkler comprising1 a water pressure chamber, a piston therein, a piston stem, means"forregulating the rate ofmovenientcf the piston against thewater pressure therein, a spraying nozzlein connnunih eationwith the water chamber and operatively connected with the piston stem, to be rotated thereby. i 3. *A lawn sprinkler conlprising a water pressure chamber; a "pistontherein, a pistonsteniymeans for regulating the rate of movement the piston against the water pressure therein, a spraying nozzle incommunication with the water chamber and operatively connected with the piston stem to be rotated thereby and means for shutting` off the supply of water to the nozzle.

4:. In a sprinkler the combination of a `water pressure chamber, a piston` movable iis therein, a piston stem, means for regulating and nozzle and adapted to rotate the latter, and mechanism for automatically shutting oli' the supply of yWater to the nozzle.

5. In a sprinkler the combination vof a -Water pressure chamber, a piston ,movable therein, afpiston stem, provided with a rack bar, a spraying nozzle in communication with the Water Chamber, a pinion connected with said nozzle and having-its teeth in mesh With said rack bar,;and means `for regulating the rate of movement of the piston.

6. .An automatic sprinkler .comprising a Water pressurechamber, 'a piston movable therein, a piston stem, means for regulating :the rate-of movement of said'piston, a spraying nozzle having Aan inlet port `in communication vvvith said chamber, means connected with the piston stem for rotating the nozzle, and means carried by said piston stem for closing -oif said nozzle inlet port when said 4piston isat `the limit of its movement 'in said pressure chamben 7. An automatic sprinkler comprising a Water pressure .chambery a piston movable therein, means `for tregulating the rate of movementof said piston, a piston stem, a spraying lnozzle Ahavingy an inlet port incommunication with said chamber, means connecting the piston stem and nozzle and adapted to :rotate vthe latter, y.and asealing block ,carried .by-said xpiston stem adapted to close said .nozzle .inlet Vport 4when `said pistonis at the limitof its movement in said pressure chamber.

8. A sprinklerdevice-comprising a Water pressure chamber, a piston -movable in said chamber, a ypiston stein, aspraying .nozzle in .communication With said chamber and rotatively Iconnected 4With lthe piston stem, means for shutting-off the-supply of Water to the nozzle, thesai'd `Aspraying nozzle having eXit or spraying ports at iits :exposed end,-and ya cap for regulating the amount of Water to-loW-through said exit or spray'- ingports.

9. A sprinkler comprising a pressure chamber, and a resistanceehamber, amovable piston separating said chambers, a rotatable spraying nozzle having an-inlet port in communication With-said pressure chamber, and discharge ports Without saidchamber, coperating means whereby the nozzle is rotated by the reciprocation ,of the fpiston, and :means .for decreasing the resistance in said yresistance chamber whereby the rate of movement of :the piston may be regulated.

Al0. .A sprinkler device con'lprising a casing vproviding` a water pressure chamber and a resistance chamber adapted to contain a l:rx-isistanoe fluid, a piston movable in said casing and separa-ting said chambers, a piston stem, :a rotatable spraying nozzle extending into and connnunicating with the Water pressure lchamber .and operated by theimovement of the piston stem, and a valve device controlling the escape of resistance [luid from said resistance chamber to vary the resistance therein against said piston.

ll. A sprinklerldevice comprising a tubular casing VVproviding a-ivater pressure chamber and a resistance Huid chamber, a piston movable in said casing `and separating said chambers, a piston stem, a rotatable spraying nozzleextending into and communicating with the Water pressure chamber and operated by the movement of ythe piston stem, a .cap forming one end of said resistance Huid chamberanda valve in said cap adapted toicontrolitheiescape of Huid from said resistance chamber .to vary the resistance .against `said piston.

12. A sprinkler device comprising a tubular casing providing a water ypressurechambe `.and a. resistance fluid chamber, a piston movable therein, a piston stem, a rotatable spraying nozzle extending into .and communicating with the water chamber and operated by the movement of the piston stem against the :resistanceof the fluid in said resistancechamber, said nozzle having a discharge lend Without theeasing, a base for said-.casing and a yoke clamping said casing to said base, fsaid yoke surrounding said nozzle Without the casingand yhaving means providing a pressure tight joint between said casing and spraying nozzle.

In testimony that I `el aim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of tWo lWitnesses, this 13th kday of October, A. D. 1916.

FINIS EXVING ROACH.

Witnesses:

TAYLOR E. BROWN, T. H. ALFnEns.

Copies of this patent-may be obtained for ve cents each,.by addressing ,the Commissioner-of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

